Why do people want their babies to grow up so fast? When talking to others they indicate that they want to slow down time with their kids, but when I see how kids are dressed it seems the opposite is true. Many kids especially girls are being dressed up to look like teenagers when they are only 5 or 6 years old. I have the hardest time shopping with Madilyn because she wants to wear what all of her friends are wearing, but I refuse to let her dress like a teenager.
Here is a list of 5 things I won’t let my 5 year old wear.
- Leggings as pants– this style has got to go. Working in a high school I can not believe the number of girls that think leggings make acceptable pants. Legginsg are NOT pants. Leggings are intended to be worn with skirts, dresses or LONG shirts or sweaters. Madilyn has tried to wear leggings as pants a few times, and I make her change. I wish other parents would follow suit.
- Make-up– Five year old children do not need make-up. However, almost every time I go out in public I see small girls made up to look like older teens. There are a few girls in Madilyn’s class that wear it daily. Not in our house. Make-up will be saved for the teenage years.
- High Heels– Little girls do not need high heels. These types of shoes are not practical for kids. High heels can also cause injury. On a recent shopping trip I lost my “mom of the year award” because I refused to buy my daughter a pair of shinny black peek-toe high heels. They were cute, and I would love a pair, however I will not be buying high heeled shoes for my daughter anytime soon.
- Bikini- Sorry not going to happen. I know lots of people that buy their kids bikini’s and this is fine if that is what they want to buy. However, my little girl will be in something that covers more of her body until she is old enough to make decisions on her own.
- Mini-Skirts and Short Shorts– In my mind these clothing items have no place for any person in public. Girls who wear mini-skirts and short shorts are drawing attention to themselves. I do not want my daughter receiving unwanted attention from people.
Some people will call me a prude or judgemental. My thought on the subjects is that kids learn how to dress when they are little. If you let your toddler or young child dress like an adult, as they get older it will be difficult to change their clothing preferences. Short shorts now, mean short shorts when the child is 16. Parents might think high heels and short shorts look cute on their 5 year old now, but when that same kid is 16 they will be pulling their hair out because their child wants to dress that way.
I want to keep my little girl little for as long as possible, and dressing her in age appropriate clothing is one way of doing that.